Ankle Breaker Ale, part 1 of 2

Last November, I made my first foray into homebrewing and the result is a magnificent extra special bitter... if I say so myself.

The beer came out at 4.3% alcohol by volume, and 81.4 IBUs. I noted an initial gravity of 1.042, and a terminal gravity of 1.010. I also underpitched the yeast by 21.1%, equivalent to 78.9 billion yeast cells.

The recipe:
The Starter
362 g amber dried malt extract
8 g cascade hops (5.3% alpha acid)
0.5 gallon water
1 vial White Labs british ale yeast

The Wort
1 recipe starter, 48 hours after preparation
448 g crystal malt (60 lovibond)
72 g kent goldings hops (6.0% alpha acid), t=60
14 g kent goldings hops (6.0% alpha acid), t=30
14 g kent goldings hops (6.0% alpha acid), t=15
14 g cascade hops (6.9% alpha acid), t=5
5 gallons water

The Gyle (for kreusening)
46 g crystal malt (60 lovibond)
272 g amber dried malt extract
8 g kent goldings hops (5.5% alpha acid), t=60
1 g kent goldings hops (5.5% alpha acid), t=30
1 g kent goldings hops (5.5% alpha acid), t=15
1 g cascade hops (5.3% alpha acid), t=5
0.5 gallons water

To prepare starter:
1. Weigh out crystal malts and place in grain bag.
2. Place grain bag in water and begin heating on low heat
3. Remove grain bag when temperature approaches 170°F
4. When the water begins boiling rapidly, turn off heat and add malt extract. Stir to dissolve, then turn heat on again.
5. Allow to boil for ~10 minutes and skim off any hotbreak.
6. Add hops, and allow to boil for 60 minutes
7. Cool rapidly
8. Pour into a growler bottle.
9. Pitch yeast at 68°F. Closed bottle, shake it well for one minute, then removed cap and cover with aluminum foil. Allow to ferment for 48 hours before use.

To prepare wort:
1. Weigh out crystal malts and place in grain bag.
2. Place grain bag in water and begin heating on low heat
3. Remove grain bag when temperature approaches 170°F
4. When the water begins boiling rapidly, turn off heat and add malt extract. Stir to dissolve, then turn heat on again.
5. Allow to boil for ~10 minutes and skim off any hotbreak.
6. Add hops, and allow to boil for 60 minutes after first hop addition
7. Cool rapidly. When cool, whisk vigorously for 60 seconds.
8. Siphon into a 6.5 gallon carboy, pour in starter, and attach blow-off tube
9. Allow to ferment for ten days before siphoning into a secondary fermenter
10. Allow to ferment for three weeks before bottling

To prepare gyle:
1. Weigh out crystal malts and place in grain bag.
2. Place grain bag in water and begin heating on low heat
3. Remove grain bag when temperature approaches 170°F
4. When the water begins boiling rapidly, turn off heat and add malt extract. Stir to dissolve, then turn heat on again.
5. Allow to boil for ~10 minutes and skim off any hotbreak.
6. Add hops, and allow to boil for 60 minutes after first hop addition
7. Cool rapidly.

Bottling
1. Add 0.8 quarts of gyle to beer and stir well
2. Transfer beer into bottles and cap

Tune in tomorrow for pictures and tasting notes!